There was a time I could eat more shrimp than Bubba Blue. Then one afternoon twenty years ago I got violently ill from eating shrimp. Haven’t been able to eat shrimp ever since. Just makes my stomach turn worse than recovering from a tequila and Jagermeister binge.

I’m glad he was there to witness the miracle because I don’t remember it. Let’s all write the Pope and get the Fox River declared a holy shrine before Congdon changes his recollection of events. It’ll be great for tourism.

Now what I remember from that afternoon is that, yes, I did ask Congdon when the mayor was coming. That’s probably because the judge is the chairman of the Steering Committee throwing the event, appointed to the position by Mayor Jeff Scrima. The judge is also the mayor’s appointment to the planning committee. Did I also mention Congdon sits on the board of Scrima’s New Day Fund? You would think that if anyone knew where the mayor was, it would be Congdon, especially if the event was organized properly.

This may also shock the former judge, but I write a political column for the Waukesha Freeman. I don’t write for the arts section. I don’t have the time. Too many things to write about in my own beat.

If I did write for the arts section, I would have written about Shay Johnson’s plans for the guitar he is decorating for GuitarTown. Johnson is going with a leather theme, and was even hoping that he could redo the case for the guitar as well and put that on display. He told me that at the artist reveal where Congdon said I didn’t talk to any of the artists.

I was also introduced to the public relations representative from Clear Verve. I asked for the list of artists and, as we get closer to the unveiling, I have something in mind for that list. Still waiting on the press release.

I was even the person in the room that started the round of applause for the artists after they were introduced. I couldn’t take the awkward silence.

I also remember meeting Congdon. Congdon would not answer any questions about the mayor. He also could not answer any questions about who made the decision to funnel the New Day Fund money through the BID or when it was made. He didn’t want to answer questions about the period of time when he was on vacation or before he joined the project because he said he wasn’t there to know. He did mention the banners and that they were probably too expensive. (If they’ve changed their minds on that, he has my phone number.)

I even suggested a place where they could possibly get the guitars weatherproofed.

I’m not the only one asking questions. So is City Attorney Curt Meitz at the behest of Aldermen Kathleen Cummings and Paul Ybarra. So are others.

Congdon’s attempt to justify keeping all the secrets to the Steering Committee is more damaging to the GuitarTown Project than any questions that have been raised. Congdon says that he learned “honesty” as a paperboy. Honesty isn’t public officials hiding their actions, telling other public officials not to talk to journalists, and berating those public officials that dare answer questions. If this is what Congdon thinks of as “honesty,” then the voters of Waukesha should sleep soundly knowing they made the right decision when they threw him off the bench.

Based on his editorial, if Judge Congdon is one of the “Smart People”, Lord help us.

theantipowell Reply:March 24th, 2012 at 11:41 am

Dean:

Left-wing Doyle appointee Democrat hack, Rick Congdon, was not one of the original group of “Smart People”.

Dean Reply:March 27th, 2012 at 12:46 pm

He appears to be part of the inner circle now.

theantipowell Reply:March 27th, 2012 at 8:57 pm

You are certainly correct. It would appear that the mayor has veered to the left and also to have fallen in with the west end artists who were such big Larry Nelson fans. Of course, they seem to support whomever can “pluck their strings” the best!

You’re right about everything in this case. It was a super scoop that you uncovered in the timeline. “Follow the money.”

But in the back of my mind I just can’t get over the fact that this New Day Fund is mostly (or all) of Scrima’s money in the first place. I don’t travel in a world were I can give that much away. But I imagine It must be extremely difficult to give up control once money is placed in trust. Wouldn’t any of us feel that it’s still ours, so why couldn’t we spend it like we want? I know the answer – it’s a trust, a legal divide – Scrima might be best served politically if he wasn’t on the New Day Fund board at all.

In the end he simply and “sillily” jumped the gun. Put the cart before the horse. Dragged the BID director down the glided path. So what? Once he (or someone) admits that mistakes were made in the heat of the moment, (with or without an apology) all will be forgiven. The public at large and the courts won’t care. But they will be watching for more scoops from James Wigderson.

Dean Reply:March 27th, 2012 at 12:57 pm

I don’t have any problem with the Mayor running the New Day Fund, once he is no longer Mayor.

While he is in office, there is enough potential for conflict of interest that he should have no involvement.

I sympathize with your sentiment, and recognize that the Mayor has put a significant amount of his own money into the fund. I would also acknowledge that the New Day Fund has more potential to do good works for the city – more than it would have had the Mayor just returned half his salary, which was his implied campaign promise. However, it was his choice to structure it this way. It was also his choice to tout transparency, openness, and a servant’s attitude, which he still talks about today. When push came to shove, he obstructed and the Inner Circle went into attack mode. I agree that he could come out on top if he simply apologized. From what we have seen so far, I would not expect one to be forthcoming.